When Nissan Philippines debuted the all-new Y63 Patrol in 2025, Top Gear Philippines managing editor Leandre Grecia called it exactly what the brand needed at the time. The SUV served as a reminder that, even amid global financial trouble, Nissan can still make great cars.
However, now that the brand is starting to emerge from its recovery plan—the one that has closed down several manufacturing plants and sold off its famed Yokohama headquarters—a question remains: How can this reinvented Nissan prove itself?
There are concepts and new models abound, but the Japanese carmaker’s next wave of innovation may be found in China. Nissan’s offices there have been crafting new vehicles from the ground up—that’s right, not rebadged Chinese cars, but completely new platforms and nameplates. And here’s the kicker: These China-made Nissans are getting ready for export.
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We recently got invited to visit Nissan’s offices and proving grounds in China to see what exactly they’ve been cooking up. Over there, Nissan’s main collaborator is Dongfeng, and they have already produced several products together. But, during our tour, the brand was adamant on keeping the ‘Nissan-ness’ within each of its cars in China.
The pride and joy of Nissan China is the Nissan N7, the maiden electric vehicle from its partnership with Dongfeng. It is sold as a fully electric sedan with up to 600km of range—and it is undoubtedly a Chinese car. We’ll be posting our first impressions soon, but immediately, the large screens and deeply soft interior give away where the N7 was built and sold. However, it did drive well, staying well-balanced and dynamic on various conditions.
We also got to drive the Frontier Pro, Nissan’s plug-in hybrid pickup, which is based on the Dongfeng Z9. While this isn’t a new vehicle, the carmaker stood firm on its credibility as a Nissan product that has been bolstered by Chinese technology. We’ll also have our first impressions for this one out soon.
Considering that the Philippines is a big (and more importantly, left-hand-drive) market for Nissan, we can expect these vehicles to arrive sooner rather than later. If brought in, they will immediately boost Nissan’s electrified offerings and give the Kicks and the Leaf some much-needed company. Local fanboys and loyalists will also effectively decide whether or not these new nameplates have any ‘Nissan-ness.’
